Cutting Edge Digital Art Are you a graphic designer, illustrator or photographer who always strives to produce digital media that is above rest of the pack? Does your artwork and creative ideas push others to be more creative?
“Since 1987, the Prix Ars Electronica has served as an interdisciplinary platform for everyone who uses the computer as a universal medium for implementing and designing their creative projects at the interface of art, technology and society.” . Now Is Your Chance The PrixArs Electronica contest has seven categories to choose from. Awards and prizes will be given to each category’s respective winner:
There is a total of €117,500 ($152,149.68 USD ) in cash prizes for this competition. The awards ceremony for the Ars Electronica Festival will take place in Linz, Austria.
The prize breakdown for each respective category is as follows:
Contest Rules Please see the complete rules and guidelines for more information. The general rules are:
* This contest is an international contest and anyone from any country may enter. * Do not submit pieces that are irreplaceable originals. Entries cannot be returned. * Be sure to see the specific rules for each category. * An entry may only be submitted to one contest category. * You may submit more than one work as long as each submission is for a different category. * You must be registered on the Arts Electronica website to participate in this contest.
Other Contest Information and Links This contest is open until March 18, 2011. There is no entry fee in order to participate in this contest.
For important details about this contest follow these links:
Computers Are Such a “Waste” And for that matter so are cell phones, computer monitors, digital camera, printers and every electronic device that is thrown away.
The problem is how to dispose of this e-waste and find ways to recycle all of the material.
“The goals of this competition are to learn about ways to reuse e-waste for new and productive means…
“…You’re invited to create a broad range of design concepts and innovations for technology products that demonstrate fresh approaches and responsible solutions for green computing technologies.”
The Contest There are two categories that you may enter:
* E-Waste Prevention - Entries for this will demonstrate how to reduce the amount of e-waste generated by the production of various consumer electronics. This category centers on new products or services.
* E-Waste Reuse - Demonstrate how e-waste can be used to produce useful new electronic or non-electronic products.
Submit Your Video This is a video contest. Your submissions should be an original video commercial that spotlights the design, the function, the features, and design concepts of your idea.
The video must not be a plain narrative description of the project.
Prizes One winner will be selected from each contest category. The awards are:
Other Information and Contest Links The contest is open to anyone 18 years or older. You must be currently enrolled in college or have graduated from college since May 2007.
Only one entry per team or person is allowed. If you are entering as part of a team, you may not have more than five members participating in your group.
The deadline for entries is April 1, 2011. There is no entry fee for this competition.
All entrants must fill out the official contest submission form and list the e-waste and/or new components used for your project. A 500 word (or less) description must also accompany your entry.
Proof of attendance or graduation from your college may be submitted via:
* A copy of an official transcript from your college or university. ….(The copy should be in pdf format.) * A letter of enrollment at a college or educational institution. (PDF format.) * A letter from your department adviser in PDF format.
The workplace zoo Anyone who has worked as a graphic designer or in a job that requires creativity knows how difficult it can sometimes be when working under tight deadlines.
During these times you’ll notice how certain individuals, and even yourself, react under pressure. It is during these occasions that personality traits, some negative and some positive, rise to the surface for all to see.
In What Type of Graphic Designer Are You? Part I we’ll explore four personality categories. These will act as an informal knowledge base to help you understand yourself and others in the workplace better. . It’s Greek to me The Four Temperaments or Four Personality Groups (Phlegmatic, Choleric, Melancholy, and Sanguine) was developed by Hippocrates and Plato in their efforts to understand human nature and personalities.
According to the Four Temperaments scenario people’s personalities are made up of a combination of the four basic traits-with one or two being the most prominent.
Variations of these original concepts have been updated by various psychologists and authors but at the heart of them all lay many of the ideas proposed by the two Greek luminaries of medicine and philosophy.
The Phlegmatic: slow and steady Is there someone at your workplace that seems to remain cool and calm in spite of the world crashing down all around everyone? Does this individual seem to get along with just about anyone?
Do these people procrastinate on their projects while making witty and humorous remarks about the situation? Are these people sometimes stubborn and obstinate?
Does it seem as if these people are almost like Mr. Spock of Star Trek; they show very little variance of emotion or excitability?
If you answered yes to most of these questions you have just met the phlegmatic personality.
Here is a short list of the strengths and weaknesses of Mr. or Ms. Phlegmatic:
* Low key personality * Easy going * Relaxed * Patient * Competent and steady * Quiet and witty * Sympathetic and kind * Gets along with everyone * Finds the easiest way to get the job done * Likes routine; avoids change * Indecisive * Avoids leadership * Self-doubt * Avoids conflict * Resents being pushed * Procrastinates
Understanding what motivates Mr. or Ms. phlegmatic can help you to get along better with these reliable and sometimes obstinate people. They are the people that will work the best under pressure so be glad that they are there!
Graphic design school and design principles No matter what personality type you fall under, the need for a good education in graphic design is important in qualifying for various career opportunities.
If you are thinking about branching out into other graphic design fields such as web design, animation, multimedia or other avenues, a qualified graphic design college can help.
Next time… Our next personality will be Mr. or Ms. Sanguine. You’ll recognize these individuals by their affinity for telling stories and jokes, being the first one to say “Hi!” to everyone and their generally happy mood.
But they are also known for speaking before they think and being unproductive and emotional. Find out more next week about this coworker.
Have a Restful Holiday During this festive season, we’d like to wish everyone a safe and restful holiday and a prosperous New Year. We would also like to leave you a parody of the well known Christmas poem, “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” We have taken the liberty to rewrite the verses for our graphic designers, illustrators, photographers, film makers, web designers, and artists. It is entitled:
‘Twas the Night Before Deadlines
by Frank Ling aka “no. 2 pencil”
‘Twas the night before deadlines, when all through the house,
Not a designer was stirring, not even a computer mouse;
All the projects were saved to the servers with care,
In hopes they could be worked on again and not disappear;
*
The artists were nestled so snug in their beds;
While visions of CS5 danced in their graphical heads;
When out in the parking lot there arose such a clatter,
They all sprang from their beds to see what was the matter.
*
As everyone froze in the night’s frigid cold,
A man appeared dressed in Times New Roman bold!
He was carrying a large sack so full and so heavy,
It was brimming with software packages making everyone so merry.
*
“Now Pantone, now Photoshop, now Maya and Flash,
I’ll give you all software that won’t make your computers crash!”
Then as quickly as the man so suddenly appeared,
He ran into his van and put it in gear.
*
He yelled out the window and to all of our delight,
He exclaimed “Merry Designing to all, and to all a good night!”
Lights, Camera, Action! Life Just Is, an independent feature film that completed shooting this November and is now in post production. The film is about four recent university student graduates and their struggles to adapt to the “real world.”
The Life Just Is - Poster Design Competition is seeking entries from design students and college graduates that can interpret the spirit of the film and be used as a vehicle to promote it.
After you have been approved you will be notified by email and will be provided a link to specific marketing images, information about the film, and other pertinent details for use in the creation of your poster design.
Judging and Prizes The poster designs will be available on the film’s Facebook page where individuals may vote for their favorite poster. The top three posters from the highest vote counts plus a top three list by a panel of judges will be used to select the winner.
There are no cash awards for this contest, however the winning entry will be used “…for marketing the film and potentially for the DVD cover. The [artist] will be credited for their design.”
For those who want to beef up their resume/CV this is a great opportunity to add more credentials to your list of accomplishments.
Contest Links and Additional Information The following links will provide more details about the contest and movie:
Wisdom from a Scientist Glenn T. Seaborg was giving a lecture to an auditorium full of high schoolers one day and remarked how lucky of a man he was.
The Periodic Table, the large map of all the physical known elements, is familiar to anyone who has taken a chemistry or physics class.
The Nobel Prize winner was involved in the discovery of 10 of these elements.
He said he not only loved his work and had fun at it, but “I can’t believe I get paid to do it too!”
How many of us are fortunate enough to enjoy our work and “get paid for it too!” . How Much Does A Graphic Designer Make? As a graphic designer or someone who is contemplating graphic design as a career, a love of the process of creating is definitely needed to be successful. But there is the practical side of this as well; can you make a living from it?
The U.S Bureau of Statistics and Labor (May 2010) says the median annual wage for a graphic designer is $43,180.
Those in the top 10 percent of wage earners in graphic design make approximately $76,450 per year. Those in the lowest 10 percent of wage earners made $26,440 per year.
The amount of money you can earn depends on various factors related to skill level, the type of graphic design job you have, the type of company you work for, and your educational background.
Graphic Design School and You In today’s career market there is heavy competition for available jobs. Getting the necessary training in graphic design is a must to remain competitive.
Generally speaking a minimum of a bachelor’s of arts degree in graphic design is needed to qualify for entry level positions. Community colleges offer 2-year degrees that may open opportunities for technical jobs in graphic design.
In graphic design college you’ll learn the principles of design, art history, and the important skill sets needed to use and operate computer hardware and design software.
If you have graduated from graphic design school, continued education may be necessary to keep up with the fast changing tools and procedures in the field of graphic design.
For Love or Money? Hopefully you’ll be able to say “both.” Enjoying your job gives you great satisfaction even during the times when the wages aren’t as good as you’d want them to be.
But hating your job and making lots of money is rarely a good trade off when it comes to personal well-being and satisfaction.
In the long run, graphic design or any job involving creativity or design can be quite fulfilling. Just make sure you have the proper career training to be competitive.
Graphic Design Career Information Links The following links may provide you with additional information regarding graphic design jobs, qualifying skills and attributes, and other points of interest:
Cutting Edge Digital Art
The PrixArs Electronica contest has seven categories to choose from. Awards and prizes will be given to each category’s respective winner:
Other Contest Information and Links
Computers Are Such a “Waste”
The Contest
Other Information and Contest Links
The workplace zoo
It’s Greek to me
Graphic design school and design principles
Lights, Camera, Action!
Judging and Prizes
Wisdom from a Scientist
How Much Does A Graphic Designer Make?
Graphic Design School and You
For Love or Money?